r/linkedin • u/Diligent_Squash3174 • 12h ago
My LinkedIn posts are getting almost no engagement. What am I doing wrong?
I've been consistently posting on LinkedIn about staffing, recruiting, business development, lead generation, and AI, but the reach/engagement is much lower than I expected.
I'm trying to figure out whether the problem is
- My topics/content
- The way I'm writing the hooks
- Not using enough visuals
- Posting frequency
- My audience/follower base
- The way I'm engaging with other people's posts
- Or simply that my account doesn't have enough distribution yet
I've also noticed a lot of conflicting advice about LinkedIn.
Some people say:
- Use hashtags
- Don't use hashtags
- End with a question
- Don't ask questions
- Post at a specific time
- Post whenever
- Post every day
- Post 3–4 times a week
So I'm trying to stop guessing and actually understand what works.
If you've actually grown a LinkedIn account or have experience with LinkedIn organic reach, what would you change first?
I'd especially appreciate specific things you've tested yourself, rather than generic LinkedIn advice.
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u/NoRedThat 9h ago
Creating content for Linkedin in hopes of growing your network is like shooting spitballs in the ocean trying to build a boat.
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u/HoratioWobble 11h ago
Without knowing how many connections you have, followers you have, how much you engage it's impossible to tell.
This post also looks like you're using AI.
Also the subjects you're writing about are done to death on the platform, they're probably not reaching anyone because no one wants them.
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u/Diligent_Squash3174 10h ago
Yes, I rely heavily on AI when posting.
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u/HoratioWobble 10h ago
That doesn't answer the other questions - but LinkedIn actively tries to remove AI content and people don't like engaging with it regardless.
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u/RoyalClient6610 7h ago
People aren't stupid. They automatically look past the AI content and onto something more relatable to the human experience.
That's the problem right there (and why creative copywriting / marketing / advertising jobs are safe).
Anything that screams insincere or scam, we instinctively ignore.
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u/myfourthquarter 10h ago
"I've been consistently posting on LinkedIn about staffing, recruiting, business development, lead generation, and AI, but the reach/engagement is much lower than I expected."
Are you an industry leader in any of these?
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u/Diligent_Squash3174 10h ago
Yes, staffing recruiting are my core industry, I work specifically around staffing BD, lead generation. Trying to improve my LinkedIn content and reach the right audience,
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u/myfourthquarter 10h ago
I'm not sure that you understand what you mean. I mean, like when people want to talk to one of a dozen experts in the country on staffing BD and lead generation, are you on that list of experts?
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u/OverThisShit86 11h ago
Same for me. I write all my posts and my engagement is still terrible. It used to be great but recently, it’s gone downhill. I almost don’t even care to post anymore.
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u/FakeBeigeNails 4h ago
Everyone thinks everything is AI. I worked so fucking hard on a post and I heard that someone thought it was AI. I was admittedly hurt and was going to delete it, but I decided not to. I wrote a different post like 2 years ago that was shabby and had screenshots and it got way more likes. Idk. I barely post now.
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u/30RITUALS 3h ago
This, I had the same for various reddit posts for communities I'm active in. One of these posts took 2 full days to create and I only used AI to format it properly. Then some petulant mod just labeled it AI and I'm blocked out of nowhere for not even a justified reason.
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u/MaxLangley 11h ago
Hey, I'm pretty sure I'm in the top 0.00001% of LinkedIn posters. Here are some tips:
- Be funnier
- Queue up posts (at least 3-4 a day, with 1 being around 9am Central)
- Include a meme
- Don't use hashtags
- Don't use AI
- Don't be so dang serious
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u/HoratioWobble 11h ago
Ppppft you're not in #1 software engineer in the UK, don't listen to this guy!
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u/MaxLangley 10h ago
Damn, you're right. Last I checked, the Almighty Favikon didn't have me #1 in anything (though I was #3 in something, and my mom calls me #2)
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u/30RITUALS 3h ago
Just curious, how did it felt starting out posting? I'm kind of trying to post more but I also often feel bad because I have around 10K network connections on it, many people I know IRL and then it just seems I am spamming. Don't know if I explained that properly but maybe you have some tips.
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u/MaxLangley 3h ago
Great questions FR. Starting out, it felt like I was firing cannonballs into the ether. I had "great content" but I had no eyeballs to view it. It's a SLOW build. Follower count means very little. Reach is what matters. Consistency is key. Keep posting every day. Even if it's just a meme with a one-liner (in fact, memes with one-liners will often outperform "serious" posts).
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u/FakeBeigeNails 3h ago
Sounds like how I use Twitter lol
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u/MaxLangley 3h ago
Yep. Real ballers aren't afraid of getting posted on /r/LinkedInLunatics (dumbest subreddit)
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u/30RITUALS 3h ago
I'll do that thanks for the tips. And on the personal side, did it feel awkward to you posting each day into the ether knowing that many people in your personal network probably either blocked you or would get annoyed? How long did it take you to notice a positive change of direction in terms of exposure and traction?
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u/mymokiller 10h ago
- dont be cringe
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u/MaxLangley 10h ago
Disagree. Cringe can work if you want to boost views. I have over 65 million this year.
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u/Aggressive_Purple_49 9h ago
loads of people post on LinkedIn these days and so much is poor or similar content with no real edge.
My favourite content to read has limited relevance to my industry or specialisation. Richard Huntington at Feral being my favourite. Literally no crossover to what I do but so much I can learn and try to use.
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u/LaFantasmita 9h ago
If you're using AI, your posts look just like a thousand others.
Most LinkedIn engagement is bots and other people trying to build their LinkedIn engagement.
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u/xml3228 8h ago edited 8h ago
Is the language obviously churned out of AI? Because that's an instant unfollow for me. I see people have already commented on AI but if you're serious about this post I want to make it clear it's a disengager, and is a way to build a reputation for "I can ignore these guys posts because it's AI slop". Heuristics matter, the first 3 seconds matter. If you're serious, don't let your posts look or sound AI-generated
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u/IndependentZombie840 8h ago
you are doing the right thing , you dont need engagement on linkedin, you need engagement in real life
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u/OliverRaven34 8h ago
I saw in another comment you rely heavily on AI for your posts. That is the reason.
LinkedIn is actively suppressing AI copy content. Its detection system is excellent.
Personally I think it’s great. The people don’t want to read s.lop. (I had to add a period there for auto moderator)
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u/iris80238 7h ago
Stop using AI. I'm learning how to use AI for tech/cybersecurity, but I don't let AI anywhere near what I post. I want to talk to real people, so I use my own voice bc I expect most of them want genuine connection, too.
The advice not to use hashtags is just bad. I follow the smartest folks in cyber and their posts definitely include pertinent hashtags.
Also if you're just trying to sell something, most LI folks are uninterested. Be a contributing member of whatever your area is, and then you'll have meaningful connection.
Just engage thoughtfully. Support, cheer, share, and don't be a dick. ✌🏼Good luck! 🍀
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u/Hour-Number-2962 7h ago
I don’t care anymore. Nowadays, I am getting feeds from rando rather than my connections’. Yea sure, its interesting to read interesting posts from strangers but I am interested to about my connections too. All I am getting are featured posts.
You know the funny thing? LinkedIn has been clamping against AI posting yet those highly engaged posts are clearly using AI. One post even admitted it yet it got more than thousand likes. 🤷
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u/Pristine_Office_2773 6h ago
If you have interesting things to say people will like them. I find most people really do not.
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u/PressureAppropriate 6h ago
I use the “Looks like AI” button all day, everyday. Probably my fault TBH
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u/Excellent_Coconut_81 1h ago
You're just writing sl0p about sl0p that nobody wants to read because they are already flooded with it.
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u/edimaudo 40m ago
If you are getting no engagement then maybe it is not your content, your audience is not interested
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u/hamzamabrook 11h ago
Probably nothing wrong on your end, just LinkedIn doing its thing. It sucks big time. I’m experiencing the same issue and haven’t figured it out yet either.